kotlin-fork/docs/confluence.jetbrains.com/Kotlin/40701077_Basic+syntax+walk-through.confluence

h4. Define a package

{jet}
package my.demo // One per file

import std.io.*

// ...
{jet}

See [Packages].

h4. Define a function

{jet}
// Return type mandatory
fun sum(a : Int, b : Int) : Int {
  return a + b
}
{jet}

or

{jet}
// Return type may be inferred
fun sum(a : Int, b : Int) = a + b
{jet}

When no meaningful value returned:
{jet}
fun printSum(a : Int, b : Int) : Unit {
  print(a + b)
}
{jet}

or

{jet}
// Return type is optional when Unit is intended
fun printSum(a : Int, b : Int) {
  print(a + b)
}
{jet}

See [Functions].
See [Hello, world!].

h4. Define a local variable

Assign-once (read-only) local variable:
{jet}
val a : Int = 1
val b = 1 // Type is inferred
val c : Int // Type required when no initializer provided
c = 1 // definite assignment
{jet}

Note that [semicolons are optional|Grammar#Semicolons].

Mutable variable:
{jet}
var x = 5 // Type inferred
x += 1
{jet}

See also [Properties And Fields].

h4. Use a string template

{jet}
fun main(args : Array<String>) {
  if (args.size == 0) return

  print("First argument: ${args[0]}")
}
{jet}

See [String templates|Strings#Templates].
See [Arrays|Basic types#Arrays].

h4. Use a conditional expression

{jet}
fun max(a : Int, b : Int) : Int {
  if (a > b)
    return a
  else 
    return b
}
{jet}

or
{jet}
// 'if' is an expression
fun max(a : Int, b : Int) = if (a > b) a else b
{jet}

See [{{if}} expressions|Control structures#If].

h5. Null-checks

A reference must be explicitly marked as _nullable_ to be able hold a {{null}}:
{jet}
package multiplier

// Return null if str does not hold a number
fun parseInt(str : String) : Int? {
  // ...
}

fun main(args : Array<String>) {
  if (args.size < 2) {
    print("No number supplied");
  }
  val x = parseInt(args[0])
  val y = parseInt(args[1])

  // We cannot say 'x * y' now because they may hold nulls

  if (x != null && y != null) {
    print(x * y) // Now we can
  }
}
{jet}

or

{jet}
// ...
  if  (x == null) {
    print("Wrong number format in '${args[0]}'")
    return
  }
  if  (y == null) {
    print("Wrong number format in '${args[1]}'")
    return
  }
  print(x * y) // Now we know that x and y are not nulls
{jet}

See [Null-safety].

h5. {{is}}-checks and automatic casts

The *is* operator checks if an expression is an instance of a type (and [more|Pattern matching]). If we *is*-checked an immutable local variable or property, there's no need to cast it explicitly to the *is*-checked type:
{jet}
fun getStringLength(obj : Any) : Int? {
  if (obj is String) 
    return obj.length // no cast to String is needed  
  return null
}
{jet}

or 

{jet}
fun getStringLength(obj : Any) : Int? {
  if (obj !is String) 
    return null
  return obj.length // no cast to String is needed
}
{jet}

See [Classes and Inheritance].
See [Type casts].

h4. Use a {{for}}-loop

{jet}
fun main(args : Array<String>) {
  for (arg in args)
    print(arg)

// or

  for (i in args.indices)
    print(args[i])
}
{jet}

See [{{for}}-loops|Control structures#For].

h4. Use a {{while}}-loop

{jet}
fun main(args : Array<String>) {
  var i = 0
  while (i < args.size)
    print(args[i++])
}
{jet}

See [{{while}}-loop|Control structures#While].

h4. Use pattern-matching

{jet}
fun cases(obj : Any) {
  when (obj) {
    1          -> print("One")
    "Hello"    -> print("Greeting")
    is Long    -> print("Long")
    !is String -> print("Not a string"
    else       -> print("Unknown")
  }
}
{jet}

See [Pattern matching].

h4. Use ranges and {{in}}

Check if a number lies within a range:
{jet}
if (x in 1..y-1)
  print("OK")
{jet}

Check if a number is out of range:
{jet}
if (x !in 0..array.lastIndex)
  print("Out")
{jet}

Check if a collection contains an object:
{jet}
if (obj in collection) // collection.contains(obj) is called
  print("Yes")
{jet}

Iterate over a range:
{jet}
for (x in 1..5)
  print(x)
{jet}

See [Ranges].

h4. Use function literals to filter and map collections

{jet}
names filter {it.startsWith("A")} sortby {it} map {it.toUpperCase()} foreach {print(it)}
{jet}

See [Higher-order functions|Functions#Higher-order functions] and [Function literals].

h3. What's next

* [Address book example|Address book]